462 . PENTANDRTA MONOGYNIA. Plumbago. 



Branches numerous, spreading- in every direction. Leaves 

 opposite, decussate, patent, short-petioled, broad-lanceolate, 

 taper, obtuse-pointed, entire, nerveless and smooth on both 

 sides; from four to five inches long, and about one and a half 

 broad. Petioles short, smooth, enlarged at the base into a 

 stem-clasping- ring, which in the dried specimens are encrust- 

 ed with a clear yellow resin. Corymbs ped uncled, axillary, 

 nearly as long as the leaves, decompound, decussate, smooth. 

 Flowers numerous, large, whitish yellow, fragrant. Bractes 

 small, permanent. Calyx beneath, deeply five-parted, or ra- 

 ther five-leaved ; permanent. Leaflets sub-rotund, imbricat- 

 ed, smooth, many times shorter than the tube of the corol. 

 Corol one-petalled. Tube between campanulate and infun- 

 dibuliform. Border contorted, five-parted ; divisions ovate- 

 oblong, expanding. Filaments five, ascending, inserted in 

 the mouth of the tube, and much longer than the corol. An- 

 thers incumbent. Germ above, ovate. Style, the length of 

 the stamens. Stigma enlarged, entire. Berry oval, a little 

 pointed, size of a currant, smooth, red, pulpy, two-celled. 

 Seed several in each cell, angular, and scabrous. 



2. F. elliptica. R. 



Leaves opposite, short-petioled, broad-elliptic, smooth, and 

 firm. Corymbs terminal, more than super-decompound. 

 Tube of the corol cylindric. 



A native of the Moluccas. 



PLUMBAGO. Schreb. gen. N. 281. 

 Calyx gibbous, five-toothed. Corol funnel-shaped. Sta- 

 mina inserted into the tops of the five nectarial scales which 

 embrace the germ. Stigma five-cleft. Seed one, oblong, 

 coated. 



